Apple says it asked itself “how can we take iPad even further” before unveiling “the biggest news in iPad since the iPad.” Tim Cook then announced the device that iPad fans have been waiting to see for months.
The iPad Pro’s 12.9-inch 2732×2048 display features Apple’s 3D Touch technology. The screen can detect three different levels of pressure, distinguishing between taps, presses and heavier presses. The tablet is powered by Apple’s A9X processor, paired with 2GB of RAM. Apple claims that the chip is 1.8x faster than the A8X in the current flagship iPads, making it faster than 90% of portable computers.
Apple’s iPad Pro, unveiled 09/09/2015
Apple September 2015 Live Event
The Pro can be configured with up to 128GB of storage and is offered with an optional keyboard and stylus. The stylus, known as Apple Pencil, can be used with the 3D Touch display and supports its own pressure detection for accurate drawing, note-taking and annotation doodling. Apple claims that Pencil provides enough precision “to let you touch a single pixel.”
The Apple Pencil for iPad Pro
Apple
The iPad Pro runs an optimised version of iOS 9. It allows apps to be snapped side-by-side or overlaid on each other as a picture-in-picture display. A new mode will support running two apps side-by-side when in portrait orientation, a feature that will not be available on Apple’s smaller iPads.
The iPad Pro can also run apps that have never been possible on iOS before including advanced photo editing and 3D model creation software. A revised touch keyboard has more rows of buttons to make the most of the large display when not using the new Smart Keyboard accessory.
Apple’s iPad Pro, unveiled 09/09/2015
Apple September 2015 Live Event
The multitasking improvements will be a key selling point of the iPad Pro when pitched against the now-established “professional” tablet, the Windows-powered Surface Pro 3. Microsoft’s device has proven to be popular with business users and students seeking the power and flexibility of a laptop in a tablet’s form factor.
Apple will be offering the iPad Pro in gold, silver and space gray colours. Other features include a Touch ID fingerprint reader, 802.11ac Wi-Fi4G LTE connectivity, a claimed 10-hour battery life and four stereo speakers mounted around the sides of the tablet. The speakers can intelligently balance themselves depending on how the tablet is being held in the hand. It weighs 1.57lb and measures up at 6.9mm.
The iPad Pro will start at $799 for the base 32GB model. A 64GB option costs $949 while the top-tier 128GB version will cost $1079. The Apple Pencil costs $99 while the Smart Keyboard will be $169. The device will be available from November.
